The Night Before Christmas [ペーパーバック]

サンタがやってくるクリスマスイブを描いたクレメント・ムーアの詩はみんなに愛され、1823年の初版以来、多くの画家の画題になってきた。アーサー・ラカムにジェシー・ウィルコックス・スミス、トマス・ナストを始めとする19世紀末から20世紀初頭に活躍した有名な絵本画家によるバラエティー豊かな作品の中から、2人のアンティーク絵本の収集家が吟味して選んだイラストを収載。多くはムーアの詩をもとに描いたものだが、古い絵ハガキや雑誌に描かれていたものもある。また、すべてのイラストに出典情報が記されている。サンタの服装は画家によりさまざまだが、子どもたちに喜びをもたらしてくれる「ぽっちゃりしたとても陽気なおじいさん」という点は変わらない。この魅力的な『The Night Before Christmas』は、とりわけ子どもの本の収集家やビクトリア朝のものが好きな人にはたまらない1冊だ。ムーアの詩をよく知っている子どもも、時代を感じさせるひと味違ったサンタや、ベッドで気持ちよく眠りにつく昔の子どもとの比較を楽しみながら読むことができる。サンタクロースの魔法を信じる人のために、クリスマスの前の晩、ツリーの下に置いておくのにぴったりのすてきな贈り物になるだろう。（Marcie Bovetz, Amazon.com）

Clement C. Moore's beloved poem about Santa's arrival on Christmas Eve has been illustrated by hundreds of artists since its first publication in 1823. Two collectors of antique children's books have selected a variety of these charming pictures from Arthur Rackham, Jessie Willcox Smith, Thomas Nast, and other renowned children's illustrators of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Most of the images are from versions of the poem; a few are from antique postcards or magazines. Source notes for all the illustrations are included. Santa is dressed differently by each artist, but he is always "chubby and plump--a right jolly old elf" who brings joy to all good little girls and boys. This attractive edition of The Night Before Christmas will be enjoyed most by collectors of children's books or lovers of things Victorian. Youngsters who are already familiar with the poem will delight in comparing the different old-fashioned Santas and the children of long ago "nestled all snug in their beds." A charming holiday gift to leave under the tree on Christmas Eve for anyone who believes in the magic of Santa Claus. (Ages 5 to adult) --Marcie Bovetz

"'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house..."

When Clement Moore wrote a Christmas poem for his children about a magical visit from Saint Nicholas, he had no way of knowing that it would become the best-known and best-loved holiday poem of all time. The magic of his familiar verses is brought to life in this edition with the enchanting illustrations of award-winning artist, Tasha Tudor. Recreating her own Vermont farm home, her drawings enliven the poem with all the charm of an old-fashioned country Christmas: handmade gifts under a candlelit tree, stockings hung by an open fire, and her trademark pets, a corgi dog and cat, to welcome St. Nick.

With soft color, delicate detail, and nostalgic affection for times past, Tasha Tudor has created the perfect match for a classic poem that has delighted children and adults for generations.

Clement C. Moore (17791863), an American scholar and poet, first wrote The Night Before Christmas in 1822 to entertain his children. A friend submitted it to a local newspaper, The Troy Sentinel, where it was published on December 23, 1823. Moore's delightful description of St. Nicholas and his eight flying reindeer has since become the definitive portrait of Santa Claus.